


All These Things That I've done

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Female pronouns for Pidge, Garrison trio, I'm Bad At Tagging, Keith and Shiro are adopted brothers, Lance and Pidge friendship, Langst, Manipulation, Multi, Mutual Pining, Pidge and Lance brotp, Pidge is a gremlin, Protective Lance, Slimy Lotor, Tags might change, Team voltron are criminals, This One Is Dark, Zarkon is a crime boss, but in a good way, coran is mental, dark!AU, klangst, matt appears later, possible shalluratt, protective keith, shalluratt, shay is too pure, theres gonna be some violence guys, voltron isnt a robot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-03-23 10:53:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13785981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Six of the country's worst criminals, and one eccentric millionaire.An admittedly weird family, but a family nonetheless.





	1. Chapter 1

Lance tapped his fingers on his leg, in time to the music pulsing through his headphones. The train wasn't that busy today, but he wasn't paying attention. His backpack took the seat next to him, and his hand rested lightly on it, ready to grab it at any given movement. He looked out of the window at the city rolling by, and watched the storm clouds swirl over head. 

A storm was coming, both figuratively and literally. 

He reflected on the position he and his friends had found themselves in. They were more than capable of escaping it, and they ended up in trouble a lot, he knew that. He just couldn't shake the nagging feeling that this was his fault. 

The thought made him anxious, so Lance took out his phone, in the hopes that his friends could help him calm down. Lance knows that Pidge is coordinating this, so he texts her first, under the pretence of checking up on their progress. 

Pidge, to put it simply, was a genius. She could manipulate technology in a way that seemed supernatural, and it was claimed that she had the ability to take down the infrastructure of a country from the inside. Lance didn't doubt this. She was also one of his best friends. Lance and Pidge were close, and their shared sense of humour and mischievous natures made them obvious friends. Their shared knack for manipulation and tactical smarts made them a formidable pair. 

Rather than text him back, Pidge rang him. Lance knew this meant she was focused on something, not wanting the distraction of having to text.

“Lance, are you in position?” Her voice came through his headphones, cool and relaxed. 

“On the train now. Got the building in my sights. Give me two minutes and then we're in business.” He replied, his manner light and carefree. He had done jobs like this hundreds of times.

“Just don't get distracted. Allura and Shiro are already in position and Allura told me to tell you that she'll keep her promise.” Pidge said. Lance smirked, already feeling more relaxed. Allura had lost a bet to him, and had promised that she would make the most bad-ass entrance of the mission. It was a joke, but Allura had a flair for the dramatic.

“I'm going to talk to the others now. I'll smell ya later, Pigeon.” As Lance ended the call, he could hear her laughter down the line. It was nice. 

He switched on the earpiece embedded in his ear, and listened for the voices of his friends. It was a group line, invaluable for coordinating the job. After a few seconds of tense silence, a welcome voice flooded his ears. 

“Guys, I'm ready. Also, you all up for Italian tonight? Home made, of course.” Hunk rambled.

“Not relevant, Hunk.” A stern voice reprimanded. Shiro. The natural born leader, keeping them in line. “Italian sounds great, though. Provided Pidge doesn't eat all the garlic bread again.”

Lance could hear Pidge's distinct cackle down the line, and another, softer, male laugh. Keith. He softly chuckled at Shiro's bitterness, but knew he had to get a move on. He didn't have much time to get this right.

“I'm on the move. Pidge, I'm counting on you.” He said.

Lance swiftly moved down the train, careful to not arouse suspicion. When he reached the door, he unzipped his backpack, pulling out a pistol. The gun was small, not his usual sniper rifle, but Lance had to work with what he had. He couldn't fit his usual weapon of choice in a backpack. Besides, he never missed a shot, no matter what he was shooting with.

Right on cue, the train screeched to a halt, the power going out. He muttered a quick thanks to Pidge, and pried the doors open. 

The train had stopped midway across a bridge that snaked through the city. It's positioning was perfectly calculated, and Lance didn't hesitate before launching himself off the train, into the air. He barely had time to swear, loudly, and in Spanish, before his feet slammed into a building. He rolled, taking the impact, and knelt for a moment on the top of the building, taking a moment to catch his breath. 

“Made it.” He gasped, and heard the faint sounds of background conversation in his ear, signifying that the others were also in position. 

“Allura has already executed the first phase of the plan.” Shiro said softly. He was currently undercover, and had to be careful what he said. Shiro and Allura had the most high-risk job; Infiltrate the party at which the target was attending, and get the needed information out of them. Once they had the information, Allura would escort the target out of the building, at which point Lance would be poised and ready. The target was Sendak, and he had taken something that belonged to the group of friends. Something they wanted back. 

Once Sendak had been eliminated, Keith would move in, causing a distraction at the party, creating a cover during which Hunk would retrieve what was theirs. Lance, at that point, would be dealing with the competition.

“It's time.” Allura said. Lance would be firing the first shot of the day. Business as usual.

From his position, Lance was only a few hundred meters, and a few floors up from the balcony that Allura crashed into, opening the doors with a bang. She was followed by Sendak, a burly, intimidating man, who Lance immediately disliked. Finger on the trigger, Lance watched the two carefully. Allura played the part of the simpering, sweet girl disturbingly well, flattering Sendak into a false sense of security. He leaned over the woman, whispering in her ear. Lance watched as she danced around him, not allowing him to get too close to her. He could hear their conversation through his earpiece and waited for the word that would let him know that she had what she needed.

“You tell me, sweetheart.” Allura said. 

Lance took a breath in, finger on the trigger. As he breathed out, he squeezed, and the shot echoed off the buildings. He had struck Sendak in the back of the head, through the skull. As he crashed to the floor, Allura looked up, flashing Lance a gleeful smile. She stepped over the body, stopping to take the small dagger the man carried, and went back into the building. She was yelling information into the earpiece that Lance was only half listening to. That was Hunk's job.

Besides, Keith had already made his big entrance. He could hear gunshots from the inside of the building.

“Pidge, where am I headed?” Lance said. He was already climbing down the fire escape when she replied. 

“There's been a slight change of plan. There are more men than we previously thought.” She sounds distracted, never a good sign. “Don't come to the van, the others need assistance.”

“I'm on it.” Lance said, gritting his teeth.

“How did we miscalculate? We can't ignore this.” Shiro said, sounding mildly irritated, but calm despite the gunshots ringing out around him. 

“Lance!” A new voice yelled. “I need backup NOW!” 

Spurred on by the urgency in Keith's voice, Lance vaulted the fire escape, jumping two stories and hitting the ground in a roll.

“PARKOUR!” He yelled, and received several unamused groans. Unfazed, he continued on, taking a second to marvel at the facade of the building. It was ornate, with a large stained-glass rose window above the enormous oak doors. He thought about how cool he'd look smashing through that window, guns blazing. Ah well, save it for another day. 

When he got into the building it was eerily quiet. The lights were out, a sign that Pidge had successfully shut down the power and security systems. She seemed to enjoy doing that. Lance kept to the walls, noticing how everything was slightly too grand. Sendak was powerful, but this was too glitzy. This was more than Sendak could ever pull together. It made him uneasy. 

He crept up the slightly too ornate staircase, listening closely for any sign of disturbance. He could begin to hear muted gunshots and shouting through the walls. The gunshots got louder, and the large doors at the top of the stairs rattled.

Suddenly, Keith burst through them, sprinting, with a machine gun in hand, firing as he ran with little care for aim. Lance didn't hesitate before throwing himself into the thick of the battle, firing rapid-fire shots that hit their target every time. He couldn't see Shiro or Allura, but the whole building was in chaos, and he knew that they could take care of themselves. God knew they had been in enough fire fights and come out the other side relatively unscathed. 

With Lance now covering him, Keith took up the offensive, tossing the machine gun to the more skilled marksman and unsheathing his knife. When Keith fought with a blade, he was a force to be reckoned with. Together, the two men kept the attackers at bay.

“Lance, Keith! Get out of there, we've got what we need!” Pidge yelled in their ears. Lance didn't hesitate, but turned back when he realised Keith had stopped.

“Where are Shiro and Allura?” He shouted over the din. Right on cue, the sound of a shattering window, and a shout that was not through the comms unit. Allura stood on the frame of the now obliterated rose window, with a rope tied around her waist and murder in her eyes. She had a gun in each fist, and when she caught sight of Lance, she winked. She really had kept her promise, he thought. 

She shouted at them to get out of there, and the two men sprinted for the exit. Lance could hear further gunshots outside, and the sound of a vehicle. He fired blindly behind him, covering for Keith, and marvelling at the amount of men still shooting at them.What was it with criminals and bringing guns to fancy events, he thought as he ran. 

They flung themselves through the doors and out onto the street, where Hunk had positioned the armoured van. When he saw them, Hunk began to drive. The doors were opened, and Keith, the faster of the two, jumped into the van. Lance threw himself at Shiro, who caught him and pulled him into the truck. Lance slammed the doors, and they all relaxed.

Keith, always restless after a fight, began helping helping Allura bandage her hand. They all had their fair share of cuts and bruises, but this one was particularly nasty. She didn't seem concerned, though.

Pidge was the only one not out of breath. She sat in the corner, laptop on her knees, regarding the team passively. Well, not the whole team. Keith and Allura talked softly, and she was clearly listening in, before Hunk, from the drivers' seat, drew their focus.

“How's Coran doing?” He asked, an edge of worry to his voice. 

The man in question was the reason for their mission in the first place. Coran was a millionaire, well respected by the city. He was on good terms with everyone, including the gangs and crime bosses in the area, and had invaluable information on everyone. He also had a habit of getting himself into difficult situations, but this particular one had resulted in him being locked up in the manor of the boss of one of the most powerful crime rings in the city. Business as usual. 

Coran was slumped against the side of the van, conscious but quiet, absent-mindedly curling his moustache with his finger. He was the eldest member of the team, and owner of the mansion they all lived in, which they had fondly nicknamed the Castle of Lions, or simply the castle. In fact, Coran had been the one that brought them all together in the first place. He kept the team functioning, and looked after them all as if they were his children. They hadn't hesitated to formulate a rescue plan after he had got himself kidnapped, and executed it in under 12 hours. It was a new record.

“Whilst I was locked away in the Galra manor, I heard some rather disturbing information.” He began. “It's not all as we thought, and Sendak being dead changes very little. I heard some names tossed around that I haven't heard in a very long time. Zarkon and Lotor.” 

Allura and Shiro shared a dark look. Lance could see the recognition in their eyes, and looked to the others, who shared his confusion. Allura cleared her throat.

“I know those names. It's been years and I honestly believed Zarkon was long dead. If this is true, and both him and Lotor are alive and running the Galra empire, then we're going to need to rethink our approach.”

“After my...mission gone wrong,” Shiro started, hand automatically reaching up to grip his prosthetic arm, “I was forced into the underground arena, as you know. I heard rumours, passed around the prisoners. About Zarkon and Lotor... and an argument. Lotor, Zarkon's son, disagreed with the way Zarkon ruled. He tried to assassinate him, but was cast out. I can't imagine what they have in store. These people are the worst of the worst. Arguably worse than us.” Everyone looked uncomfortable at that, but also struggled to take in the new information.

“It's best we get back to the Castle.” Coran said. “It's been a long day, and clearly, we have preparations to make.”

They were criminals, and they knew that. They had done some bad things for their own selfish gain,and they were good at what they did. Still, the Galra empire had spent their time at the top, and it was time for a new royal family to step up and take their crown.


	2. Chapter 2

Lance dragged his knife down the man's face, reveling in the screams that were muffled by a brutally tight gag. The man's eyes watered, and Lance loved it. He was beginning to get tired of the lack of cooperation, though. It had been at least an hour, and he had been going far too easy on the man. In one swift movement, he plunged the knife through the man's hand, pinning him to the chair, and roughly pulled off the gag. 

“I'm going to ask you one last time, nicely, before I loose my patience and cause some damage you won't be coming back from.” Lance said, his voice harsh. The man was shaking, and Lance couldn't tell whether it was fear or pain. He prided himself on being an intimidating presence when he wanted to be. Here, alone in the basement of the castle, he could be as cruel as he wanted. Although he knew it made them uncomfortable, the others would turn a blind eye, because they knew he got results. Results were what they needed. 

“I'll talk.” The man gasped brokenly. “Please... I'll talk.” 

Not quite satisfied at how quickly the man had broken, Lance twisted the knife, earning himself a final agonizing scream, before hauling the man to his feet and upstairs. 

***

The whole team had gathered to hear what the man had to say. Lance stood behind him, knife in hand, but the rest of the team stood in his line of sight, their faces hard and cold. 

“Talk.” Shiro said. The man immediately caved under his intimidating presence.

“I've worked for Prince...” He hesitated when he saw the look on Shiro's face. “I've worked for Lotor for a few years now. I don't know much, but I know he's a creepy son of a bitch. He's obsessed with taking down his father.” 

“Blue.” Shiro prompted, using Lance's code name. Lance knew what Shiro wanted and their prisoner froze when he felt a blade to his throat. Lance leaned down.

“Tell us how you found this place.” He snarled. The man gulped, and winced as Lance drew the knife away. 

“I was told to fetch Mr. Altea for a meeting with Lotor. He.. does live here, doesn't he?” The group turned to look at Coran. He shrugged, a thoughtful expression on his face. 

“Does he know about the rest of us?” Allura asked softly. The guy shook his head. 

“I came here alone and I haven't had a chance to report back to him yet.”

That was when Lance lost patience. He whispered something in the man's ear, something that made him go stark white, and cut his throat with one swift, calculated movement. He felt blood splatter down his cheek and neck, but didn't care.

“Lance.” Allura said sternly.

“He didn't know anything.” Lance said calmly, wiping his knife with a rag. The others looked confused, so he elaborated. “He was stalling. Not giving us any useful information because he doesn't know any. He was telling us stuff we already knew. Useless.” 

Pidge frowned for a moment, but Lance could tell she agreed with him. “Why would he want to talk with Coran though? The Galrans were keeping him locked up just a few days ago, and now they want to have a respectable debate with him?” 

“I hate that bloody family.” Keith said, and moved to help Lance dispose of the body.

***

“Get off my lap, you asshole!” Lance laughed, as Pidge wriggled around mischievously. “And let me have some of THAT.” He lunged for the popcorn bowl, but she managed to snatch it out of the way, sending a spray of popcorn over the whole team. 

Keith, sat on the floor, leaning against the sofa that Pidge and Lance were currently wrestling on, looked up at the disdainfully. “You're hoarding the sofa, guys.” He dead-panned, as they bombarded him with a shower of m&ms. Keith moved to drag Lance off the sofa.

“Stay back, foul beast.” Pidge said, launching an m&m that hit him square between the eyes. 

“Hunk, I need backup.” Keith called, and the larger man laughed from the kitchen, where he was cooking dinner. Keith groaned as it became clear backup was not coming. “Shiro?” 

Shiro and Allura, who had been sitting on the other sofa, attempting to calmly watch the film, also ignored him. He could see the amused smile on his brother's face.

“Does nobody want to protect me from the gremlins!?” He yelled in mock despair, and flopped face-first onto the carpet.

“Suck it up, Keithy boy.” Lance said. “We have the power here.” Pidge stuck her tongue out, and the two went back to fighting over the popcorn.

“When is Matt arriving?” Allura asked, subtly shifting to be closer to Shiro.

“Any minute.” He replied. “Has he text you yet, Pidge?” 

She checked her phone and leaped up as if she had been shocked. “He's been at the door for ten minutes!” She yelled, and sprinted out of the room. The rest of the team didn't move. Matt had put up with enough from them all to not be fazed by the mess that was their living room. 

Matt was Pidge's brother, but she didn't have much contact with him since she joined the team. He was a close friend of Shiro, as they had a shared past and had been thrown into the Galran arena together. No one was quite sure what Matt and Shiro had done before they fell into the hands of the Galra empire, but it had led Shiro and Pidge to the Castle of Lions, and they were all thankful for that. Matt had left his old life behind and now led a relatively normal life, but he occasionally would visit the castle, and had become close with all of them. Besides, it wasn't often they had an excuse to take it easy.

“Hey, guys.” Matt said, as he was dragged into the room by his coat sleeve. They all smiled at him, and Pidge shoved Lance out of the way to make room for him on the couch. She sat down and patted the spot next to her. 

Matt, however, spotting his friend, threw himself at Shiro, dramatically flinging himself over his lap. Shiro looked down at his friend with amused surprise. “Imagine,” Matt began, playing the part of damsel in distress with a hand raised delicately to his forehead. “Imagine how I felt when I found out that my darling Shiro had been on a mission, a DANGEROUS mission, but deigned to even text me. How would I have even known you were alive.” He sat up, still on Shiro's lap, and winked at Allura, who giggled. “Even 'Lura had the common courtesy to let me know she was still alive.” 

Shiro was laughing now, and playfully shoved Matt onto the floor. He rolled around on the floor for a few seconds, then spotted Keith, who had Lance sprawled across his legs. He waved and smirked, and Keith scowled. “Don't even start, Matt.” 

“Aww, can't I just say hello to my friends?" He said suggestively. 

“I don't know why I ever tell you anything.” Keith said, and the others gave him a puzzled look. “It's... private.” he said dismissively, and they didn't question it. They were used to secrets.

“Yeah, he just told me about his c-” Matt was cut off as Keith threw himself on top of him, clamping his hand on the older boy's mouth. Lance yelped as he was flung to the floor a second time, but made no effort to get up.

“Uhh... guys? The food's ready.” Hunk said, and noticed the two boys struggling on the floor. “I see Matt's arrived.” 

Matt and Keith broke apart, and Keith sent him a last meaningful scowl before following the others into the dining room. 

***

Pidge prided herself on her ability to read people. To her, it was as simple as reading computer code. That was how she could tell that recently something was off about Keith. He took his usual place at the table in between Lance and Allura, but he seemed uncomfortable. Today, he kept glancing suspiciously at Matt, which didn't put her mind at ease. What had he told Matt that was so private? It must be the reason he had been acting so weird recently.

“So then Allura crashes through the window, looking like a fucking goddess. You should have seen Shiro's face, he looked starstruck...” Lance teased, winking at Shiro, who was suddenly very interested in his food. Unfazed, Lance continued telling the story to Matt, who was listening with an enraptured expression. Lance was a very good storyteller, and the whole table looked enthralled. Pidge, however, had her eyes on Keith. 

He was staring at Lance in a way that could only be described as lovingly. She had noticed it before, but never saw any deeper meaning in it until today. That was what Keith had told Matt. He had a crush on Lance. Holy shit.

Pidge snorted suddenly, and ducked her head. She gave a guilty smile and Lance only hesitated a moment before talking again. This was amazing. 

Pidge was the newest member of the team after Shiro. She had joined them whilst she was tracking down Matt, purely by chance. She had been good friends with Hunk and Lance, having gone to school with them, and when her brother had gone missing, her first instinct was to get back in contact with them. Lance had invited her to the castle, she remembered, and explained to her that the two of them lived and worked there. She remembered Lance explaining the situation to Coran, and him calling her a 'tech genius.' With prompting from Hunk, Pidge had explained how she had hacked into government databases in an attempt to track down Matt. It hadn't taken long for her to get swept up with the team, and when Matt was found, she decided to stay with them, a decision she had never regretted. At this point, they were as much family as her own brother.

She ran through all this in her mind as she appreciated the dynamic the group had. And if Keith was in love with Lance, which she could now see, clear as day, then it meant plenty of opportunity for blackmail. 

Matt left a few hours later, and Pidge immediately cornered Keith.

“You've been keeping secrets from me, emo boy.” She said, and Keith looked genuinely confused. “About a certain team member?” She prompted, and he went white. 

“If this is about Allura's dress-” He started.

“No! This is about your big fat gay crush on Blue!” Pidge yelled, exasperated.

“How... did you know about that? Did Matt tell you? That fucker, I swear to god.”

“Dude, he didn't tell me. You don't exactly hide how gooey you get whenever Lance is talking. It's sickening.” Pidge grinned. “Of course, I could just tell him..” At that, Keith gave her a dark look.

“Pidge, It's nothing. Just don't tell him. I have a job tomorrow and I don't need any distractions.” Keith's duties as a bodyguard for hire were his main priorities, and she knew she couldn't persuade him otherwise. She was satisfied with the information she had gained, and let him walk off.

***

Shiro was the first awake, as usual. He made himself a coffee, and was stood buttering his toast when a pair of arms snaked around his waist. 

“Morning, 'Lura.” He said softly, and maneuvered around to face her. Her hair was messy, and her eyelids heavy with sleep, but he thought she was the most beautiful person in the entire world. When he told her so, she chuckled softly. 

“I've got a job today, with Keith.” She said. “I don't know if I can keep him under control without you there. He only listens to you.” She frowned up at him, but he laughed gently.

“Keith might have a temper, but he knows not to do anything that would put any of us at risk.” He reassured her. “Who else is going?” 

“Lance. I know how he gets around Keith and I just..” She trailed off, frowning.

“Lura, you're a brilliant leader. You'll be fine.” He said, and she sighed. Their conversation was cut off by the thud of footsteps down the stairs, and the door crashed open.

“HA! I won!” Lance yelled behind him, and an unamused Keith stumbled through behind him.

“Yeah, only because you tripped me up, idiot.” He dead-panned, unable to fight off a smile. 

“Shut your quiznak.” Lance muttered good-humouredly. “Hi Shiro, Allura.” He greeted them with high energy, much to their surprise. Lance was not a morning person.

“Allura,, are you white or pink today?” Keith asked as he busied himself with making breakfast. 

“As Shiro isn't on this mission, I'll be white.” She said. Each member had a code name that corresponded with a colour, and Allura had two; one for when she was leading, and one for when Shiro was leading. She could be a force to be reckoned with.  
This mission was simple; Keith and Allura had been hired to bodyguard for the Balmera family's youngest daughter, and Lance had been hired to assassinate the man who was planning to kill her. Simple, not very messy. It wasn't often there was a mission without the whole team involved, however. And Keith and Lance were exhausting to be around when they were together. 

Hunk walked in, wrapped in a yellow dressing gown and looking rather like a teddy bear, if it were not for the huge gun resting over his shoulder. Shiro raised an eyebrow, but no one said anything. Firearms in the house was not out of the ordinary. 

“Keith, Allura, look after Shay for me.” Hunk said, murder in his usually kind eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be a long one, guys.   
> in case you're curious, the title of the fic is from the song   
> All these things that i've done by the Killers, I just think it fits the story quite well. 
> 
> once again, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated and i will be updating this fic as often as I can!   
> <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Don't get too cocky, paladin.' Lotor said, and Lance frowned. He didn't recognise that word. Lotor looked him up and down thoughtfully. 'You fascinate me rather more than the others, and I think I would rather that pretty face stayed intact for now.'

'And so Pidge just gives me this look, you know, and I was just stood there with this guy's glasses in one hand and his lungs in the other, right-'

'Lance, pay attention and stop flirting.' Keith said, stamping on his friend's foot. Shay, who had been listening curiously to Lance's story, giggled lightly. The three of them and Allura had been sat in the back of a helicopter for the last hour, and Lance had begun to loose interest in Allura and Keith's meticulous plan laying. Lance glared at Keith, disappointed at being unable to finish the story, but sat quietly anyway.

'Shay, I can promise you we will keep you safe. Lance is very skilled, and Keith and I are the best in the business.' Allura said. 'We can also get in touch with Hunk at any time, should you want him to reassure you.' Shay blushed at this, and Allura dropped her formality for a moment to quietly talk to her. 'He wanted to come on this mission, but subtlety isn't exactly his forte. I do believe he was planning to ask you something after this mission, though.' 

Shay and Hunk weren't an official couple, but the group put it down to both of their shy natures, as they had clearly fallen for one another. Shay, as heir to a billion dollar business, led a strictly regimented life, but somehow the two found time to themselves. The group often found them curled up together in the castle lounge, watching a movie or playing a board game. Shay got along well with all of the group, having a gentle nature, and they all liked her in return. She gave them all a shred of normality that they otherwise lacked. 

The Castle of Lions had heard of the assassination plot from Shay herself, who had been tipped off by a security guard at her manor. He claimed that he had been part of the plot, but guilt had led him to confess. They had determined that he was telling the truth, but it took Pidge hacking his emails to lead them to the true plot, and also to Shay choosing to hire Keith and Allura as her bodyguards. Lance volunteered to take care of the assassin, and no one contested it. 

There were three guys, now that the security guard was out of the equation. One was to distract Shay, whilst the other took care of her security. A sniper on the balconies would take her out. Sounds simple, but as the team now knew what the criminals were planning, it would take a disturbingly short time to completely dismantle their plans. Shay could attend the party with the knowledge that she was as safe as she could be. 

 

When they got off the helicopter, Lance left them. Keith seemed tenser than usual, but he didn't think anything of it. Keith was usually tense before missions, and would take it out on whatever poor sod decided to challenge him to a fight. Lance settled himself in a position on the rafters of the great hall, where he could see everything, including the balconies they suspected the sniper was going to be. Unfortunately, he could also see the party down below, and who was unexpectedly in attendance. Lotor.

Lance hoped that Keith hadn't seen Lotor yet, knowing that if anything was going to affect the mission, it was the heir to the Galran empire. Still, he bit back the temptation to alert his friends, and settled into position. He could see them below, Allura and Shay looking radiant in formal dresses and matching jewellery. Keith, on the other hand, looked grumpy. He had been forced into a tuxedo, although he protested, and his hair was tied back into a small ponytail. He looked handsome, in a brooding, mysterious sort of way, and Lance felt a pang of.. something when he saw the girls that were giggling and crowding around Keith. He saw his friend shift uncomfortably, then glance upwards. They met eyes, and the only thing Keith seemed to be trying to convey was 'help me'. 

Lance winked at him, not noticing how red his friend went at that, and continued to passively observe the party. He kept a careful eye on Lotor, who had not yet spotted Shay, and almost didn't notice the man on the balcony. When he did spot the man, however, he trained his gun on him. Lance watched as the man began to position his own rifle, and tapped his earpiece, to signal Allura and Keith. He saw Keith flinch slightly, and Allura smoothly link arms with Shay, preparing to protect her. 

'Left balcony.' Lance hissed, and watched with satisfaction as Allura steered Shay under the balcony, where the assassin wouldn't be able to hit her. She began to scan the area, but Keith spoke before either her or Lance could figure out who to watch. 

'Red jacket, blonde hair coming your way Lura. Pretty sure the guy stood by the door is supposed to be taking care of security.' He said quickly, moving towards the blonde haired man as he spoke. Lance watched with silent awe as Keith stalked the man, and steadied his hand, finger on the trigger and eye on the man on the balcony, for Keith's signal. 

Keith closed in on the man, raising his handgun to the back of his head. Keith and Lance had trained for months on end to the point they were in perfect sync on missions, so when Keith pressed the gun to the back of the man's head, he didn't have a chance to turn before two simultaneous gunshots were fired. Before anyone could react, Keith disappeared into the crown, unseen, and joined Allura. The man on the balcony was slumped halfway over the railing, and people began to panic when they saw him. 

In the chaos, Lance slipped down from his position and into the crowd. He was heading for his friends when a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. He turned with a start, and ended up eye to eye with Prince Lotor. The man was intimidating, being a decent amount taller than Lance, with a mad glint in his eye that told you that he wasn't afraid of consequences. He was wearing a dark blue suit with silver trimmings, that perfectly matched his unusually long hair, and a dagger attached to his belt.

'Blue.' Lotor started, and Lance felt a chill. Lotor knew his code name, which meant he knew about the others. 'I need you to, ah, deliver a message for me. For your friends.' 

Lance hesitated. 'I don't know what you're planning, Lotor, but-'

'Don't get too cocky, paladin.' Lotor said, and Lance frowned. He didn't recognise that word. Lotor looked him up and down thoughtfully. 'You fascinate me rather more than the others, and I think I would rather that pretty face stayed intact for now.' 

With that, Lotor casually drew his dagger, and plunged it into Lance's forearm. Before Lance could even react, Lotor had disappeared into a sea of faces, and Lance stood numbly in the centre of the room. From the other side of the room, he saw a familiar face. Keith ran towards him, and Lance didn't notice he was falling until he was in the strong arms of his companion. He raised his arm weakly in an attempt to pull the dagger out, but Keith batted his arm away. 

He blacked out.

 

Keith was sick to death of people yelling. Still, they kept yelling. 

'Listen to me! Lance is lying in bed half fucking dead because of whatever Lotor put on that knife, and now you're suggesting we TRUST him?' He said, pacing the room agitatedly. Shiro was stood against the wall, arms folded and a calculatedly neutral expression on his face. 

'Lotor wants to meet up civilly. Although I agree, poisoning Lance probably wasn't the best way of-'

'With all due respect, Shiro,' Pidge started with mock courtesy, 'What the actual FUCK are you thinking! There's something seriously wrong with Lotor! His way of being fucking civil is a poisoned DAGGER!' She yelled, rage in her eyes. Hunk nodded solemnly, and even Coran shook his head sadly. 

'I think we should talk to him.' Allura said quietly, and Keith snapped. His knife, which he had been nervously playing with, flew out of his hands and lodged in the wall an inch from Shiro's head. 

'If he kills us all, it's your fault.' He said, before stalking out of the room.

Keith immediately went to Lance's room. He didn't now why he was drawn there, but he could always rely on Lance to keep him calm. 

Sure enough, when he was sat at Lance's bedside, he did feel calmer. The boy was sleeping peacefully now, a stark contrast to the poison-induced fits he had been suffering hours prior. With Lance asleep, Keith was free to stare, and stare he did. 

There was a lot Keith didn't know about Lance. He was the only member of the team that hadn't told anyone how he had come to be there, and although he kept up a facade of being a goofy, flirty and cheerful man, Keith could see the times when it was strained. He saw the times that a fight had been a little too close and Lance had doubted his place on the team. He felt the fear in his voice when Lance thought his friends were in danger. He saw the way Lance would use torture as a way to ease his own issues, the blood stains that weren't his, and Keith saw the way Lance avoided looking at Keith. The way he avoided conversations with him or having to work together. The way Lance hated him, and kept up this wall between them that Keith couldn't seem to break down. 

He didn't know why Lance hated him. He wished he did, so he could change it. 

Lance stirred in his sleep, and Keith saw his eyelashes flutter. He debated leaving the room before Lance woke up, but as he went to stand up, he was pulled back by a strong grip on his wrist. Lance pulled at Keith's arm ,and he slowly sat back down.

'Please don't go.' Lance whispered, and Keith reassured him that he wasn't going anywhere. Lance relaxed at that, and his head flopped back onto the pillow. 'Where are the others?' He said, slightly wistfully.

'They're in the meeting room. Probably still arguing.' On cue, a distant smashing sound, a sign that things were escalating.

'It's my fault, isn't it.' Lance said, a pained expression on his face. 'I ruined the mission. Are Shay and Allura... did they...' 

'Shay and Allura are absolutely fine, we're all trying to figure out what to do about Lotor.' Keith said softly.

'I need to talk to the others.' Lance said, and moved to get out of bed. He could barely stand, and Keith had to help him walk through to the meeting room. 

When their friends saw Lance, the room fell silent. Keith looked with horror at them all. The carpet was covered with smashed glass, presumably from the shattered floor-length mirror. Hunk's knuckles were bloody, indicating he was responsible for the smashed mirror, but he looked collected, unlike Pidge, who was struggling against his arms. Allura had her whip out, in a defensive stance, and Shiro's bionic arm was activated. Coran was sat in an armchair with a glass of champagne, passively regarding the scene. All of them relaxed their defensive stances when they saw Lance, guilty expressions on their faces. 

'What the.. fuck, guys.' Lance started weakly, and Keith quickly moved him to a chair. Lance took a moment, before speaking again.'We're a team. You guys are- are my family, and if we let Lotor tear us apart then what's the point of... of everything we've built.' He smiled weakly. 'I mean, I know Keith has a bad temper but Hunk, buddy, what's up with you?' 

Allura spoke first. 'Lance, we're so sorry. Have you...did you see the note?' When he looked confused, she explained. 'Tied to the dagger that Lotor stabbed you with. He wants.. you know what, just read it.' 

She pressed the blood-stained note into his hands, and Lance read it out loud.

'I've heard of your intention to take out my father, and I personally believe you have the capability to do so. However, you cannot do it alone. I request an audience with the Blue, Green and Black paladins in order to arrange a truce. Should you not attend, or should you attend with backup, you shall suffer the consequences. I trust you will make the sensible decision, Prince Lotor Galra.' At the end of the letter was a time and an address. Lance looked up at the rest of the team.

'This is what you're fighting about?' He said incredulously. 'Also, what's a... paladin?' 

The others shrugged, but Coran smiled. 'Perhaps I can give some insight into this one.' He said. 'When I was younger, I was part of a group very similar to this one. I worked with your father, Allura.' She smiled softly, and he continued. 'We called ourselves the paladins of Voltron, and became rather well known for our work. Eventually,' He made a face as if the very memory pained him. 'We fell at the hands of Zarkon Galra. I barely survived, if only because Alfor sacrificed himself in order to allow me to escape with his baby daughter. I assume Lotor thinks I have re-formed Voltron.'

Allura's face was hard as she listened. She turned to the team with a determined expression. 'If Lotor thinks we're the new paladins of Voltron, we should give him what he wants.'

Pidge looked uneasy. 'So are we going to do this? And why would Lotor want to talk to me, I'm rarely in the field on missions. This whole situation makes me uneasy.' 

'Just because Lotor said no backup doesn't mean we have to do as he says. That quiznak has another thing coming.' Lance said. 'Pidge, Shiro and I will go, but you guys won't be far behind.'

Lance went to stand up, hand tight on Keith's shoulder as he used it as support. Keith hated this plan. Lance was barely strong enough to stand by himself, and when things inevitably turned sour, he would be in the most danger. Still, now Pidge and Hunk had agreed to the plan, he had no choice. 

As if he could sense Keith's discomfort, Lance smiled at him, and leaned forwards slightly to whisper in his ear. 'It'll be fine, trust me. Stay sharp, samurai.' Keith turned to stare at him in shock, and Lance winked, before slowly sitting down. 

Honestly, that made Keith feel far, far worse about leaving Lance to fend for himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo it's getting into the main plot! What was supposed to be just this chapter has been split into two parts because there's a lot going on and I want to do it justice. 
> 
> Also y'all better be prepared for a healthy dose of klangst!
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What happened, Shiro. What did you just do.” Keith's voice, barely calm, came through first. “Please tell me Lance and Pidge didn't just go into that manor.”

Lance and Pidge stood, hand-in-hand, regarding the Galran prince with stony faces. Shiro stood next to them, his bionic arm glowing slightly, a sign it was activated and he was ready to fight at any moment. Lotor was seemingly alone, and his posture was relaxed, as if he had nothing to fear. He was stood on the steps to his manor, and the only other sign of life in the vicinity was a single bodyguard stood at the doorway.

Lotor was the first one to talk, and the way he spoke was chatty, as if he was gossiping with close friends. 'Paladins! How good of you to come! There's no need to be so fearful, I wish you no harm. I simply wish to discuss an allegiance. Please, come inside.” He gestured to the door, but none of them moved. 

“Get to the point, Lotor.” Shiro said coldly. 

“Very well. I'm sure you're wondering why I asked for you three in particular. I'll put it simply. I wish to offer the green paladin temporary residence in my manor, where she will have access to our Galran technology. We have been unable to hack into Zarkon's technology, but I believe she is capable.” He said, and Pidge gripped Lance's hand tighter. This was unexpected. “The blue paladin will accompany her. I've developed a.. soft spot for blue here, and I'm sure young green will need a companion.” he smiled, and to Lance, the smile seemed that of a wolf who'd caught sight of easy prey. “And finally, Black. The mighty leader. All I need is your approval, and together we can bring about the hasty downfall of my father! I'll give you ten minutes.”

With that, Lotor turned and stalked into the manor. His bodyguard stayed at the door. The three paladins stood in stunned silence until someone found their voice.

“We can't agree to this, it'd be insane!” Lance exclaimed. “Throwing us into the lions den like that, what's to stop Lotor from killing us immediately, and leaving Voltron down two members?” 

“I don't know, Lance. This is an amazing chance. Think of the damage Pidge could do if she got hold of the technology in that manor.” Shiro said, his voice wavering slightly with uncertainty. “I don't like this either, but you two are capable fighters, and it's not like we'll be unable to contact you if things go south.”

“I think,” Pidge started. She had Lance's hand in a vice-like grip, and he could tell how scared she was. None of them trusted Lotor, and although she was a ruthless fighter, Pidge didn't like to be without the others. They worked as a singular unit, and the two of them alone would lack the same strength. She swallowed, and started again, resolve hardening. “I think we should do it. It might be our only chance and... I know we can hold our own if it comes to it.” 

Lance looked at her in shock. Pidge could be dangerously stubborn, though, and if this was her decision he couldn't persuade her to change it. “Okay. We'll do it. But we won't tell Lotor about the comms unit. I want to make sure we can always contact the others. We work better as a... as team Voltron.” 

Shiro smiled when he heard Lance use the name. The team had adopted the title after Coran had told them about it, and Shiro had to admit it fit them well. When Lotor began walking down the steps again, Shiro realised their ten minutes were up. He turned to his friends. “Remember, trust no one. Keep your training in mind. Be as quick as you can, and if things go south, call for back up. Lance. Look after Pidge for me. Pidge, keep Lance out of trouble.” 

Before he could say everything he needed to say, he was shaking Lotor's hand, and his two teammates were being led into the manor and out of sight. When the doors slammed shut, Shiro adjusted his comms unit. 

“What happened, Shiro. What did you just do.” Keith's voice, barely calm, came through first. “Please tell me Lance and Pidge didn't just go into that manor.” 

Shiro walked down the driveway, and the heavily armoured gates to the estate slammed shut behind him. A few meters down the road stood the rest of team Voltron, and they didn't look happy.

***

“Pidge, you can let go of my hand now.” Lance hissed, but she held on. Lance relaxed. Pidge was keeping him grounded, because the whole situation was unreal. Lotor led them through jarringly ornate hallways and rooms, and he was feeling lost. Although his arm was mostly healed, it still throbbed painfully and the effects of the poison were still causing him mild problems. Still, Lance had to power through.

He was still confused as to why Lotor would choose him to accompany Pidge. With a sinking feeling, he realised it'd be because he was the weakest paladin. The least trouble to take out should a fight break out. Especially in his weakened state, Lance realised he was useless. 

“Pidge, Lance, can you hear us?” A voice in his ear. Allura! He couldn't reply whilst being led around by Lotor, but he subtly tapped his earpiece twice. Pidge did the same, he noticed. Allura continued. “Talk to us when you can.” She said, and Lance was distracted by Lotor grabbing his wrist.

Lotor pulled them into a long hallway lined with doors. “These are the bedrooms.” He said, grinning from ear to ear. “This one, will be darling Pidge's bedroom.” He said, gesturing to a door on the left, where two guards stationed on either side of the door leered nastily. She reached out hesitantly. “You may go and get changed, ready for dinner tonight.” Lotor allowed, and Pidge left, leaving Lance alone with Lotor. “And these, my dear blue, are our bedrooms.” The two rooms were next to each other, on the right of the hallway, and Lance entered his room uneasily. 

The room was obnoxiously grand. A large four-poster bed sat in the middle, and behind a set of thin white curtains was a set of glass doors that led to a small balcony. There were three doors other than the entrance; The walk-in closet, which was lined with rows and rows of clothes of better quality than anything Lance had ever worn, the bathroom, which was luxurious and decadent, and another door which Lance suspected connected his room to Lotor's. He tested the door hesitantly, but it appeared to be locked. 

“Guys? I'm alone now.” Lance said, and heard a quick reply. 

“Pidge said. Are you okay? Where's Lotor?” Keith's voice, thick with concern, came through Lance's ear. 

“I'm fine, in my room. I don't know where Lotor is, but my room connects to his, I think..” Lance said.

“Wait did you say your rooms connect?” Hunk's voice came through. “That is not good, buddy. What if Lotor tries to kill you in your sleep?” 

“I've been thinking the same thing, man.” Lance said.

“My room seems secure, though.” Pidge said. “Why would he want to keep an eye on you more than me?” 

“Maybe it's just a coincidence.” Hunk suggested. “Just keep safe, guys.”  
The line from the castle went dead, leaving only Pidge and Lance.

“I'm scared, Lance.” Pidge said. “I really don't like the way those guards were looking at me.”

“I'm scared too.” He confessed. “But we're going to be okay.” 

“Thanks. Now, how in hell do I get this dress on?”

***

Hunk, Keith and Allura sat in the control room silently after shutting off the comms. Keith went to switch it back on again, but Allura stopped him. 

“Not until Shiro gets back. And we need to give them time. Talking too much could put them in danger.” She said, and Keith moved back. 

“Something about this whole situation is off.” Keith murmurered, and Hunk nodded vigorously.

“Lotor is up to something.” he said. “But I don't know what. I'm.. I'm going to make dinner.” 

They let him go. Soon after, Allura left to check up on Shiro, who was on a mission. A mission that was supposed to be Lance's. Keith was left alone in the control room, and flipped a few switches, creating a private line between him and Lance.

“Lance? It's Keith. It's only Keith, I-uh- set up a private line. I want to talk to you. Something about this whole situation is seriously off. I don't understand Lotor's motivations.” Keith sighed heavily. “I know you don't like me. It's not like you try to hide it. That doesn't matter now, though. I want you to come home..safe.” The rest of the words stuck in his throat.

“When did I ever say I don't like you?” Came the soft reply. This riled Keith up.

“I..” Keith couldn't think of an answer. “What about our rivalry? You avoiding me on mission?” 

“I thought the rivalry was a joke, Keith. You're my.. friend, and I would trust you with my life, hell, I have trusted you with my life. And I promise you I'll bring Pidge out of this safe and sound.” Keith heard a loud knocking sound from Lance's side. “I have to go. Talk later.” 

The line went dead and Keith sat in silence until Hunk gently guided him to the kitchen. He'd left his best friends alone in the lions' den.

***

Lance opened the door to Lotor, and Pidge. Pidge was wearing a pale green dress that would have suited her rather well, if she didn't look so uncomfortable in it. She was stood just behind Lotor, who was wearing a sharp purple suit. Lance himself was wearing a blue suit that almost exactly matched Lotor's. He couldn't help but feel Lotor had planned it that way.

“Come, friends.” Lotor said. “Tonight, we dine in celebration of your company.”

With a flourish, he turned on his heel and the two reluctant paladins followed him. They walked into a large dining room, where a group of women were already sat, talking happily between them. 

“Lance, Pidge, may I introduce my generals.” Lotor said cheerfully. “Ezor and Acxa,” Two of the women stood up, nodded politely, and sat back down. “Zethrid,” The most fierce-looking woman there, Zethrid simply grunted. “And of course, Narti.” The final woman didn't acknowledge them, and continued to stroke the graceful cat which was sat on her lap. The fabric of her hijab obscured most of her face, but Lance could make out the dark strip of fabric wrapped around her eyes. Why would she be blindfolded? “Narti is blind,” Lotor explained. “But she gets around just fine.” He smiled fondly at her.

Lance and Pidge took their seats, either side of Lotor, who was sat at the head of the table, and ate, for the most part, in silence. The generals and Lotor laughed and joked loudly, acting more like a family than a team. It reminded Lance of home, and he could tell Pidge was thinking the same thing.

“So, paladins.” Lotor began. “Tomorrow, you start work on bringing down my father. Pidge, I will show you around our control centre tomorrow. I'm sure there is much of use to you.” 

“Does your technology have any direct links to Zarkon's?” Pidge asked, in her element. This was their mission, and there was no one more capable than her. 

“Much of it used to, although I believe my father would have attempted to break any such links.” 

“I can still use that.” Pidge said thoughtfully. She looked at Lance. “Will Lance be helping me?”

Lotor regarded him calmly for a moment. “If you wish. There is also a training room that Lance might be greatly interested in. I will be keeping an eye on your progress, should you need assistance.”

“What about contacting our team?” Pidge said. “Hun- I mean, the yellow paladin- would be able to-”

She was cut off by a cold Lotor. “I think it is best that the two of you do not contact your team.” Lance opened his mouth to ask why, but shut it again when he saw the murderous look on Lotor's face. They were prisoners.

They finished their meal without a word, attempting to understand the plans Lotor and his generals seemed to be making. When they had done, the two of them rushed to their respective rooms, where they could talk to the others.

“Guys?” Lance said. “Are you there?” He only had to wait a few seconds before a reply came through.

“We're all here, Lance. What's going on?” Shiro said. 

“Lotor isn't going to let us talk to you, and we suspect he isn't going to be letting us leave any time soon.”

Lance heard a sharp intake of breath from the line. Then it was Keith's voice.

“Why? What could he possibly gain from keeping you prisoner? You willingly came!” He sounded furious, and Lance knew Keith had a tendency to make bad decisions when he was mad. 

“It's fine. We're safe for now, and we'll lose any chances we have if you guys make a move now.” Lance said, keeping his voice even. He could hear shuffling on Keith's end, and then Allura's voice.  
“You have a great opportunity to get information on both Lotor and Zarkon. Stay alert, but we will not be extracting you yet.” She said calmly. 

“Guys, my door is locked.” Pidge said. 

“What?” Lance said.

“I'm locked in my room. I'm hiding in the bathroom so I can talk to you but.. those guards have locked themselves in here with me.” She said, and he could hear that her voice was becoming frantic. He ran to his own door, and, sure enough, it was locked. 

“I'm locked in as well.” He said. “Lotor has locked us in.” 

“Stay calm, guys.” Shiro said. “It could just be an extra precaution.” 

“Oh, sure, Shiro.” Pidge said bitterly. “And trusting Lotor was always the best decision, as well?” 

“Pidge, you know why we had to do this.” Shiro said defensively.

“Well, it wasn't your neck on the line, was it? You're still safe at home, with the rest of the team, as if nothing has happened. You're not in ANY danger! You can't talk to me about the right decision when you just gave us up to Lotor without looking back!” She was openly crying, and Lance began to hammer on his door, trying to get to his friend. 

“Katie, STOP!” A new voice yelled. Lance, shocked, fell silent, and Pidge did as well.

“..Matt?” She said weakly. 

“I'm here. You can't be too hard on Shiro. You know he's always looking out for you.” Her brother soothed. 

Lance switched off his communicator, and sat with his back to the door, defeated. He was drifting off to sleep when he heard the sound of a key turning. He leapt away from the door as Lotor stalked in. 

“What do you want?” Lance said harshly. Lotor chuckled, and sat on the ornate sofa opposite Lance's bed. At that moment, his comms unit crackled to life, and he heard Keith's voice. 

“Lance, are you okay?” Keith said. 

“I'm sure you're wondering why I would ask for you, blue.” Lotor began. He gestured for Lance to sit down next to him, but Lance didn't move. 

“You could say that.” Lance said, answering Lotor and Keith at the same time. 

“Matt, Shiro and Allura are talking to Pidge. She's doing better now, just needed to hear Matt's voice, I think. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Keith said. 

“I saw something in you, Lance. Beyond that pretty face is the potential for great power, something that your team overlooks.” Lotor said thoughtfully. 

“Why me?” Lance said.

“Because you mean more to me.. uh, the team, than you seem to think, Lance.” Keith said softly. 

“Because I like you, and it's not often that happens.” Lotor said. He stood up and moved closer to Lance, who backed up until he was pressed against the wall. “I like you very much indeed.”

“But I'm just me!” Lance said, attempting to move away from Lotor. He was desperately trying to talk to Keith, without alerting the Galran. 

“And that's what makes you great, Lance. Just.. don't forget to look after yourself, okay. This mission is going to be tough on both of you. See you soon.” Keith said, and with that, he was gone.

“Lance, with my guidance you could become more than a paladin of Voltron, a lowly criminal. You could become a prince.” Lotor hissed, his hands tight around Lance's wrists. “My prince.”

Lance was frozen to the spot, but was saved by a pounding on the door. It opened to reveal a soldier, dragging a furious Pidge behind him. 

“I beg your pardon, sir, but she said she wouldn't stop until she saw the blue paladin. She knocked my tooth out, the brat!” The soldier backhanded Pidge around the head, and tossed her into the room. Lotor regarded them, amused. 

“I suppose we can make an arrangement. They are guests, after all. Perhaps our darling Pidge would like to stay with Lance, tonight, and we can deal with punishments in the morning.” 

With that, Lotor walked out, slamming and locking the door behind him, leaving Lance and Pidge alone together. She crawled over to him and he embraced her tightly. 

“They.. they tried to.. I thought.. I wasn't strong enough..” Pidge was sobbing, and Lance held her in his lap until she calmed slightly. 

“Listen to me. You're Katie Holt, the bad-ass genius that could destroy a country with the click of a button and a swing of your grappling hook.” He said. “You're better than all of these assholes.”

“I just felt so powerless..” She said. 

“You didn't act powerless. They didn't get a chance to do anything to you before you beat the shit out of them, little sis.” Lance said warmly.

“Did you just call me little sis?” She said incredulously. 

“Oh god, I'm sorry Pidge, I forgot-” Lance started, but she shushed him.

“It's fine. I don't mind it, big bro.” She laughed. “I know we've got each other's backs.”

Lance and Pidge sat on his bed for a few hours in silence. All Lance could think about was Lotor, and his offer. If Lance accepted it, he could infiltrate the Galran empire almost too easily. Although he had a reputation for being a flirt, and brought home a different girl every other day, Lance had never been particularly interested in long term relationships. Romance didn't have much of a meaning for him, especially as his job meant he would just be putting another thing he cared about on the line. So why was it, whenever Lance thought about being with Lotor, the same face kept appearing in his mind.

Black hair, violet eyes. 

Lance slumped back onto his pillow. He couldn't let his emotions put the mission in jeopardy. He also couldn't face the thought of having to be any closer to Lotor. The man revolted him, but he also did have strong attachments to Zarkon. He didn't know what to do, and found himself wishing Keith was with him. He would know exactly what to do. 

Pidge looked up at Lance, concerned. “Do you think Lotor is going to have us killed?” She whispered.

“He can try.” He replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, Pidge!   
> Also I just imagine Lance and Pidge's relationship being very sibling-y   
> So VLD season 5, am i right?   
> <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance getting into trouble... 
> 
> nothing out of the ordinary

Keith embedded his knife as deep as he was strong enough to force it and watched with odd satisfaction as a drizzle of sand slipped from the mangled punch bag. Shiro looked on with a resigned but long-suffering look.

 

“I’m pretending it’s Lotor.” Keith said curtly, as if that would suffice for an explanation. Shiro’s lips quirked, but he didn’t say anything. “Look, I know what you’re going to say.”

 

“You know what, Keith, I really don’t think you do.” Shiro said, and Keith studied his face closely. Damn Shiro and his flawless poker face.

 

“Then what is it?”

 

“I think you should tell Lance how you feel.” Shiro said with a small shrug. Keith took a moment to put himself back together.

 

“That’s rich coming from the guy with a crush on two of his best friends.” He retorted, and Shiro turned red.

 

“Let’s keep Matt and Allura out of this.”

 

“Dude you’re the leader of a group of some of the worst criminals in the country, you’ve killed people without a second of hesitation, and you’ve done some hard core illegal stuff, but the thought of a polyamorous relationship makes you freak out? Seriously.” Keith said, and ripped his knife out of the punch bag. He turned to face Shiro, who had been left speechless. “When Lance gets back, maybe I’ll tell him. It's just... Hell, I don’t even know if he’s gay, the number of girls he brings here each week.”

 

“I can tell you with some certainty that Lance is not straight. If the men he also brings back are anything to go by, that is.” Shiro said casually. Keith felt a sharp pang of jealousy at the thought of Lance with other men.

 

Shiro put his arm around Keith, and opened his mouth to say something else, when Allura burst into the room.

 

“Why don’t you have your comms on?” She yelled. “Get to the control room, he's gone mad!”

 

Her face was streaked with tears, a pained look in her eyes. Shiro rushed to her, enveloping her in his arms, and she broke down.

 

“The things Lance said…”

 

Keith ran out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him.

 ***

 When Lance woke up, Pidge was curled into his chest, still fast asleep, and he could hear Coran singing through his still switched-on comms unit, which is a less than pleasant experience.

 

“~Twenty-nine weblums sitting on a wall, twenty-nine web-“

 

“Morning, Coran.” Lance said tiredly, cutting Coran off. He didn’t even know what a weblum was.

 

“Ah, Lance, my boy. Did you sleep well? I was busy getting the lay of the land, using your communication devices to get a rather accurate layout of the mansion’s security. Congratulate Pidge on that one for me, son.” Coran explained. Lance gently shook the sleeping girl awake and yelped when she instinctively punched him in the stomach.

 

“Ow, Pigeon, what the hell!”

 

“It’s not my fault you woke me up!” She said, sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. He scowled but didn’t pursue it. They all had a lifetime of survival instincts ingrained in their minds, and attacking on instinct was better than death. Just as Lance started to get up, the door burst open, and Ezor stood triumphantly in the doorway, hands on her hips. She surveyed the room, and spotted Pidge.

 

“You’re coming with me!” She said and stomped over to grab Pidge by the wrist. She had an excited expression on her face, which the other girl did not return. “And we’re going to the control room. You know, computers? It’s gonna be awesome.”

 

Pidge, still sleep-addled and disorientated, had time to let out, “Will there be coffee?” before she was dragged off. Lance went to run after then, but Ezor placed a comforting hand on his arm.

 

“We’ll take care of her. The generals and I… we took care of those guards from last night. Girls gotta lookout for each other, y’know, and from the damage already done, it seems like Green can take care of herself. You’ll see her at dinner, I assume.” Then they were gone, and Lance was left alone in the large bedroom.

 

“Uh.. Blue to Voltron?” Lance tried, hoping that someone was still in the control room. Allura replied.

 

“Hello, Lance. Everything okay on your end?” She asked.

 

“Yeah, for now. I’ve been separated from Pidge, though, and her comms unit is off for now.” He said and debated what to do next. The door was still wide open, and the hallway was quiet, but Lotor’s room was next door, and Lance didn’t know the sleeping habits of the mighty Galran heir. Thinking back to last night, Lance felt slightly sick.

 

“We have news, Lance. And a new assignment for you.” Allura continued, and Lance swallowed. “There may be connections between Lotor and the disappearance of the Duchess Honerva. Mainly, we have been informed that Lotor may be the son of the Duchess and Zarkon, not the witch, as we previously thought. It is your job to find out as much as you can about this case, and whether Honerva can be traced via Lotor. I would…” She heaved a sigh. “Haggar is as great a danger as Zarkon, and a close link with Lotor could mean a way to both of them. That is what we need you to do, Lance, find Honerva, and establish a place amongst the Galran ranks. Do whatever you have to do to bring her back. Do not jeopardize Pidge’s position, and… please be careful.” Allura finished with the plea, and Lance reassured her quickly.

 

“Tell the others I miss them already.” He finished, and his door opened once again. Narti stepped through, and gestured Lance out of the door. She closed it behind him and led him down the dark hallway. Lance curled his hand into a fist, prepared to defend himself at any moment. Narti’s cat curled around his legs and looked up at him with sombre yellow eyes, making him feel even more uneasy. They made their way down hallways and staircases, Lance barely keeping track of all the twists and turns, and eventually made it to  a large metal door. Narti pressed her palm against the wall, and the door slid open to reveal a large and well-stocked training room.

 

When Lance stepped in the room, Narti shut the door behind him, leaving him on his own. He walked the perimeter of the room slowly, faking interest in the weapons that lined the walls, whilst scanning for hidden cameras or microphones. Once he had satisfied himself that the room was secure, having to disable a small microphone embedded in the corner, and override a camera, he took a shotgun off the wall.

 

As Lance examined the gun, he talked. “You guys know about Lotor’s generals, right?” He said, unsure and uncaring whether or not someone was actually listening. It made him feel more at ease in high-stress situations. Not always a helpful quality, but to Lance it was a welcome escape. “There’s four of them. All girls, so.. power to them, I guess. Zethrid is huge, the woman is built like a tank. You do _not_ want to brawl with her. Axca terrifies me; apparently, she’s a tactician to rival the best of them, and crazy smart. Ezor, she’s the one that took Pidge this morning, she’s _nice_. Like, really, disturbingly bubbly. I can’t figure her out. And Narti is the one that worries me the most. She’s blind, and as far as I can tell she’s mute as well, but she creeps me out. She knows what she’s doing, and she knows what you’re doing, even with her handicap.” Lance raised the shotgun to eye level and fell silent as he fired at the target, blasting a hole through the dead centre. He fired three more times, each one passing exactly through the bullseye. He shouldered the gun and examined the other weapons on offer.

 

“You clearly have some skill, Blue.” A disturbingly familiar voice noted. Lotor walked through the door towards where Lance had spun around in shock, ignoring the gun aimed at his head. “I would advise against killing me, paladin. If you value Green’s life.”

 

Reluctantly, Lance dropped the gun, kicking it as it clattered to the floor. When he looked up, Lotor was uncomfortably close. “What do you want, Lotor.” He said, then mentally cursed as he remembered Allura’s instructions. Rudeness would not get Honerva back, and he could tell Allura would go to great lengths to see her long-lost godmother return to her. He cracked a small smile that didn't reach his eyes.

 

“I want to put forward an offer. I have yet to see your full potential, paladin. I know that your team does not appreciate you. They don’t see in you what I see in you.” Lotor grabbed Lance’s chin, tilting his head up. “At my side, you could become more. You could lead. You could become as feared as me, as my father. Together, we can take my father’s throne, and together, we can take our place at the top.”

 

Lance hesitated, his mind racing. He knew he shouldn’t turn down this offer, because it could benefit his team more that Pidge with a computer could dream of doing. It was what Allura would want him to do. The more Lance thought, though, the more his thoughts kept returning to Keith. If he did what he wanted, acted as if he was infatuated with Lotor, how would he ever be able to face Keith? If he turned Lotor down, however, the team would never take him seriously again. Shiro would once again believe Lance was too immature for high-stakes missions.

 

“First, Lance darling, you must prove your loyalty to me. Prove that you aren’t doing this for the benefit of Voltron. That you will be mine and mine alone.” Lotor continued, and Lance’s stomach dropped, a sense of dread building. He had to deal with this the only way he knew how. The way he was best at. With words. Lance’s mind raced, before it found a solution. He just had to channel his inner Princess Jasmine. Lance placed a hand on Lotor’s arm.

 

“Voltron?” He started, forcing himself to sound casual, despite the nerves making his hands shake. “Why would I help them? They did nothing for me, and they are nothing to me. A means to an end, I suppose, but I’m tired of being controlled by those who should be kneeling at my feet.” His voice was too smooth, too believable, and Lance heard a small noise through the device in his ear. Allura had been listening. Shit.

 

Still, it was far too late to back down, and Lotor was clearly hooked on his every word. Lance moved his hand up Lotor’s arm until it rest on the back of the Galra’s neck.

 

“Besides, now I’ve found my way to you. They didn’t appreciate me, didn’t take me seriously. Every word out of their mouths was a mockery of me, and I’m tired of it.” Lance was vaguely aware that he wasn’t stopping. “I was nothing to any of them, a hindrance, something to ridicule and ignore, only a part of the team as a necessity. I have no doubt losing me will affect none of them, and gaining you might be the best thing to ever happen to me. Team Voltron is dead to me, and I am totally loyal to you. I only have eyes for you.” Lance’s voice cracked, and to distract from his shaking form, he impulsively pulled Lotor into a kiss. 

 

Lotor broke off first, a large triumphant smile on his face. He looked at Lance fondly for a moment. “I knew I could make you see reason, paladin, but I still don’t fully trust you. I need _more_. Some grand gesture of your undying love and loyalty.” Lotor’s hand ran up Lance’s neck, to just behind his ear, where the fine wire of his embedded communication device could be felt. “How about cutting out whatever device this is that you have attached to your ear, _sweetheart_?”

*** 

Hunk had hacked into and pulled up the security camera footage just in time for Keith to see Lance kiss Lotor. They had immediately cut off the com, and the camera, leading a still image of the Galra and he blue paladin. Keith was tormented. In his head, Lance’s harsh words were repeating. Did Lance really think so low of the team, so low of Keith? Did he really think that they hated him so much?

 

Keith’s heart was breaking a hundred times over, at the image of Lance kissing a _Galra_ , kissing Lotor, after telling him how he would never love Keith. He collapsed to the floor with a whimper, and felt a pair of hands grip his, pulling him back to his feet. Keith’s eyes met Allura’s, and he watched as her eyes filled with tears. Lance was Allura’s best friend, the person she confided in and trusted, her oldest friend, and he had broken her heart, as well. In fact, as Keith looked at the rest of the team, still staring, shell shocked, at the frozen image of Lance’s lips on Lotor’s, he could see the pain of his betrayal on their faces. They mostly looked disbelieving and confused. 

 

Matt was the first to move, subtly slipping his hand into Shiro’s and squeezing. His face was contorted into an expression of fury.

 

“We’re getting my sister out of that damn house and we’re putting the sick fuck that's driven Lance mad out of his misery.” He said, starting towards the door before Shiro caught him.

 

“Lance wouldn’t just do this. There’s something more going on here, Matt, and we should let him explain himself.” Shiro said softly. He looked at Keith, still consoling Allura, and smiled softly. “We know how much the team means to Lance, if the things he’s done for us in the past are any indication. We can’t let this destroy years of trust. Voltron is a family.”

 

They sat in relative silence for ten minutes, before each leaving the room to do jobs around the castle.

 

Keith wandered back into the room after twenty minutes and yelled for the others when he saw the information on the computer. The rest of the team rushed in, in varying degrees of panic.

 

“Lance’s comm was removed. Forcefully.” Keith summarised, and everyone scrambled to see the data.

 

When they were about to despair, Pidge’s voice was projected through the computer.

 

“Guys? I’m with Lance. Lotor.. found his earpiece. Tore it out of his fucking skull more like. - _It’s okay, Lance, calm down_ -” Her tone of voice changed from bitter to soft as she spoke to Lance, jarring the team out of their shock. “Lance had to pretend it was what he wanted but now he can’t talk to you guys, and it’s put us on edge. He wants me to tell you that.. - _What? Okay_ \- He wants me to tell you that he was pulling a... Princess Jasmine? And that he’s sorry. Lance is really, really sorry- _Hey, dude, don’t start crying again. Yeah, you can talk to Keith soon._ \- He wants to remind Allura that the three of us are still on for Princess Bride night when we get back. Lotor left for some diplomatic event, and we're alone right now. Lance isn't exactly taking out his anger in a healthy way, but when does he? - _LANCE! Please don’t kill any more guards, it already stinks of blood in here!_ -” She finished as a yell could be heard in the background, and the line fell silent.

 

Keith turned to look at the rest of the team. Allura seemed elated, as if a large weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and Hunk began crying, tears of relief, and fear for their friends’ safety. Lance had always been a good actor, and this had probably been his greatest performance. Still, the team couldn’t help the sinking feeling of guilt that reminded them how quick they had been to turn against him.

 

“Allura…” He looked at her with imploring eyes, taking note of her guilty face and downcast eyes. “What did you do?”

 

“I forgot how Lance can get… I didn’t think he would take it so far... I just-I-I-“She collapsed into tears, and they gathered around her, shocked. Allura wiped her eyes quickly and looked at the floor. “I told him to do whatever he could to get close to Lotor. I figured it would be the best way to infiltrate the Galra family’s organisation. And the Witch. I think she’s responsible for Honerva’s disappearance.”

 

“The witch is…working with the Galra?” Shiro spluttered. “How do you know?”

 

‘Because Lotor’s mother isn’t Haggar. It’s Honerva. Lotor is in the middle of an elaborate plot that we have yet to fully understand, and we’ve just put Lance in the eye of the storm.” Coran said, moving to rest a hand on Allura’s shoulder. “Did I ever tell you how Lance joined the team?”

 

The team shook their head, and Coran guided them through to the living room, where he took a moment, sat in his armchair, deep in thought, before he began to talk.

 

“To Lance, family is his first priority. You’ve all heard him talk about his parents, his brothers and sisters and cousins, hundreds of times. He didn’t want to leave them, but he did it to protect them.

     “Lance has always been loud, too boisterous for many people to handle, and he’s always had a flair for less-than-legal activities as well.

    “It started when he was ten, and he began to get involved with gangs, in order to provide for his family. They trained him with a rifle, and of course when they realised he had an uncanny talent for sharpshooting, he became highly sought after for assassination jobs. I believe his first job was at fourteen.” The others stared at him. Pidge was the youngest, and she had only fallen into their lifestyle at fifteen herself, with Matt’s disappearance. Lance had been far too young, they were each thinking, to deal with the things he had. “I remember when I met him for the first time, a gangly, terrified sixteen-year-old, with so much spirit and life behind his eyes. It’s funny, how that meeting went. He was the only assassin sent to kill me that has gotten close enough to aim a gun at me. Quite the surprise, I have to say.

     “At the time, the only other living in the Castle with me was Allura. However, when I looked at Lance for the first time, I saw the same spirit that resided in Alfor. I knew that Lance had potential, and he would be better off under my care, so I offered him a job. His first night in the castle, he slept for 17 hours. Told me he hadn’t slept for more than 2 hours a night for months.

     “The next week, he tracked down every single gang member that he had encountered and told them that if they ever messed with the McClain family, the last thing they would see would be his gun. I believe he killed most of them. I’ve seen Lance put his life on the line for his family from the age of ten, and I’ve seen him do the same for the team since we’ve been together. I must confess, I have always rather favoured him.” Coran sat back in his chair, gauging the team’s reactions.

 

“He’s been doing this since he was ten?” Hunk whispered. “I’ve known him since we were twelve and he never mentioned... but I did wonder where those bruises came from… oh, Lance, why didn’t you tell me?” The boy looked close to tears, and Keith suddenly realised he couldn’t handle any more guilty tears.

 

“We all have a sob story, Coran, and Lance’s is no special case. What we need to focus on is the mission at hand. What’s Pidge’s status?” Keith said cooly, ignoring the look Allura was giving him. He stiffened, ignoring the guilt twisting in the pit of his stomach. He could still hear Lance in his ear. _I only have eyes for you_.

 

Keith hadn’t known. He didn’t realise how much Lance had suffered, and he felt terrible for ever doubting Lance’s faith in the team, and for ever not putting his own faith in Lance.

 

He would tell Lance exactly how he felt.

 

They just had to get him back, safe.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in this universe, Honerva and Haggar are the same person, the team just doesn't know it yet. 
> 
> Lance will not be out of trouble for a while but I promise he will reunite with Keith soon!
> 
> Updates should be more frequent (fingers crossed) and remember to comment and leave kudos if you're enjoying it!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Constructive criticism and kudos are always appreciated, and let me know what you think! <3


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